Gut Health: How to Naturally Aid Digestion Amidst a Season of Eating

The holiday season has arrived, and you know what that means...LOTS of delicious food!

Between the golden roasted turkey, sweet potato casserole, perfectly seasoned veggies, and classic desserts baked with love, how can you possibly resist filling your plate to max capacity? We sure can’t!

The only downside to indulging during this time of year are the stomach pains that come with overeating and/or eating foods you don’t necessarily enjoy on a regular basis.

The good news…

There are a few things you can do to aid your digestion to ensure you don’t end up with a stomach ache at your next gathering. Check out the following tips to aid your gut so you can enjoy all the things you love this season!

Healthy Digestion Tip #1: Start a Probiotic

Probiotics contain live microorganisms that restore gut flora in your digestive tract. They help your intestines maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria so you can easily digest food, absorb nutrients, and expel all the waste your body doesn’t need.

When your body is able to easily digest food, you’re less likely to experience issues such as gas, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea.

As a bonus, having a healthy gut strengthens your immune system, which is so important during cold and flu season—especially when you’re surrounded by friends and family at holiday gatherings!

We offer a large variety of safe, natural probiotic supplements on our website! Check them out here! 

Healthy Digestion Tip #2: Exercise

Unfortunately, you can’t eat all day long and lay on the couch and then expect to feel good.

If you’re planning on indulging in decadent holiday foods, you’ve got to incorporate some exercise into your daily routine. Why? The answer is simple…

Exercise increases blood flow. Increased blood flow stimulates the digestive tract, making it easy for your gut system to digest food. The easier it is to digest food, the better your body will feel.

Of course, an extra benefit of exercise is also burning calories, which can help you avoid gaining too much weight. Add a thirty-minute workout into your routine every day and you can enjoy that slice of pumpkin pie with no guilt!

Go for a walk, play a game of tag football, or visit your local YMCA for a swim. Whatever you choose to do, get moving! 

Healthy Digestion Tip #3: Practice Mindful Eating

At the end of the day, it’s up to you to regulate what you put in your body. While eating 7 cookies for dessert might seem like a great idea, it will probably come back to haunt you later.

The key here is to simply be mindful of what you’re eating. It’s all about balance.

While filling your plate, make sure you have a good mixture of proteins and veggies. Go light on the heavy carbs (potatoes, rolls, etc.) that can make you feel heavy and uncomfortable. Be mindful that alcoholic drinks also contain a lot of carbs!

And don’t forget to monitor your sugar intake. It’s surprising how much sugar is lurking in dishes such as grandma's famous sweet potato casserole!

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a little bit of everything at a holiday party. Just remember to balance your plate and stop when you’re full! 

Healthy Digestion Tip #4: Drink Plenty of Water

Hunger pains are often a sign that you’re actually thirsty. So instead of jumping right into the bowl of mashed potatoes, try drinking a glass of water first before making your plate to avoid overeating.

Drinking plenty of water also helps your gut system run efficiently, keeping you from becoming backed up and constipated. After all, water and fiber have the biggest impact on keeping your digestive tract moving!

Want the best of both worlds? You can purchase a fiber supplement that dissolves directly into your water, killing two birds with one stone.

Check out our selection of fiber supplements here! 

Healthy Digestion Tip #5: Say No When You’re Full

Last but not least, we want to remind you that it’s 100% ok to say no to more food when you are full.

It seems silly, but we’ve all been there! You’ve enjoyed your meal and you’re full but you somehow still manage to get guilted into overeating because grandma keeps pushing seconds (or thirds) on you!

Then what happens?

You end up laying on the couch bloated and uncomfortable while everyone else heads out to do some Black Friday shopping!

“No thank you, I’m full” is a perfectly acceptable response to give someone who is trying to convince you to eat more. Make good use of it—your gut will thank you!

Wishing you a season full of eating delicious foods without the bloat and discomfort!

-Pure Modern Living